Climate change is the long-lasting alteration of the global climate. While the process may occur naturally, the current changes are chiefly due to human activity. The average global temperature increased by 0.74°C in the past 100 years (essentially in the years following the industrial revolution). The northern hemisphere is now considerably warmer than in any other period in the last millennium. In addition, eleven of the past twelve years (1995-2006) posted the highest temperatures recorded since 1850.

What causes climate change?

Scientists have advanced that the main cause of climate change, the greenhouse effect, is a natural phenomenon that is accelerated by human activity. The greenhouse gases (GHGs) released into the atmosphere increase the effect’s potential to capture heat (greenhouse effect), leading to higher global temperatures. Today, the atmosphere contains 32% more carbon dioxide (CO2)—one of the major GHGs—than it did at the start of the industrial age. This is largely attributable to the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. Deforestation and intensive modern agricultural methods also contribute to the problem.

What are the effects?

Even a small increase in the earth’s average global temperature (0.74°C) has already had significant impacts:

In the Arctic and Antarctic, warmer than average temperatures have led to the acceleration of the melting rates of permafrost and polar ice sheets. Northern peoples and animals are already dealing with major problems—houses with foundations built on once-solid permafrost are collapsing, the number of days per year that there is sufficient freezing to allow vehicle travel on ice roads is shrinking, and the disappearance of sea ice is forcing polar bears to swim long distances in open water to catch their food.

In British Columbia, slightly warmer winters and hotter and drier summers have created ideal conditions for the mountain pine beetle. The result is the devastation of the interior forests. Currently, 9.2 million hectares are affected, and the beetles are moving into Alberta. This has important consequences for natural biodiversity and the communities that are dependent on these forests as a source of income.

The oceans are warming and becoming more acidic, absorbing both heat and carbon dioxide, which transforms into carbonic acid. Degraded coral reefs in the Caribbean and off the coast of Australia mean reduced marine biodiversity and economic losses for fisheries and tourism.

Extreme and unusual weather events are becoming more and more common: the droughts in Australia, lack of snow in the Alps and central Canada in the winter and more intense tropical storms and hurricanes are just a few examples.

As global warming increases, the impacts will become more acute. It is important to understand that even a rise of a few degrees in the average global temperature will have a dramatic effect on the earth’s climate, triggering unpredictable feedback cycles and processes that will likely be far more impactful than what has been observed to date.

And greenhouse gas emissions?

Greenhouse gases (GHG) are atmospheric gases that have the ability to trap the sun’s heat and warm the surface of the earth. The presence of a certain amount of these gases make the earth habitable, since it would otherwise be covered in ice. However, human activity has dramatically increased the concentration of certain greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, by releasing additional carbon that was previously stored in the ground as coal or unrefined oil.

The result is global warming. The Kyoto Protocol attempts to avert harmful climate change by creating a framework for the international regulation of the six most important greenhouse gases resulting from human activity: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons, (PFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride.

We all have an impact on the climate. This impact mainly stems from our energy consumption: our road and air travel and our consumption of electricity, fuel oil and natural gas.

Reduce

What you can do? Each one of use can contribute to the global actions against climate change. Here are just a few ideas:

The first and most important thing to do is reduce your greenhouse gas emissions wherever possible: turn off the lights when you leave the room, use energy efficient appliances, turn down the thermostat, carry out an energy audit for your home, use compact fluorescent light bulbs, take public transit whenever possible, buy a fuel efficient car, vacation close to home, fly less.

Offset

You can also neutralize all or part of your greenhouse gas emissions by investing in carbon mitigation projects. The idea is to pay an organization that will tangibly and verifiably curb its own GHG emissions to neutralize yours and make you carbon neutral. The process is known as carbon offsetting. The offsetting is achieved through the purchase of carbon credits. Each credit represents one tonne of CO2.

Purchasing carbon credits is investing in renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects and help to reduce the greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere.

But to be sure that the investment has a real impact on the climate, the reductions must be tangible and verified by a third party. The market is full of carbon charlatans, and it’s important to purchase credits from organizations that only offer Gold Standard certified credits, which meet the highest standards on the carbon market.

Use the calculators on this site to determine your CO2 emissions per source (home and travel) and take action to reduce and offset them.

Air travel

Use videoconferencing for meetings. You’ll help curb GHG emissions, achieve significant savings and avoid the stress of traveling and being away from home.

Minimize the number of flights by combining trips. For example, plan several meetings at the same location to avoid more air travel. It’s easier on the planet and your wallet.

Take the train. It only emits about one third to half of the greenhouse gases that a plane does. From Ottawa to Montréal or London to Paris, you’ll discover how comfortable it is to travel by train.

Economy really means economy. It’s not only cheaper but also better for our climate, because more people per plane means fewer emissions per person. A return flight from Toronto to Beijing via Vancouver generates the equivalent of 7.4 t of CO2 emissions in economy class, 11 t in business class, and 17.7 t in first class. That makes first class 2.4 times more damaging than economy.

Choose the most direct route possible. Take-off and landing require the most fuel. So the more stopovers, the more greenhouse gases you emit. Not to mention the hassle of waiting at airports.

Vacation close to home. When living in Winnipeg, a holiday in the Austrian Alps with a plane change in Toronto emits about 7 times more greenhouse gases than a flight to Calgary to see the Rockies.

Plan to use public transit when you arrive at your destination. It’s usually quite easy…and cheap.

Road Travel

Style matters. Accelerating quickly, stopping abruptly and driving aggressively increases fuel consumption by up to 37%. Look ahead and drive defensively. It’s good for the environment, and good for your wallet.

No idling. When a vehicle idles longer than 10 seconds, it burns more fuel than when restarting the engine.

Getting hot? Open the window. Turning on the air conditioner in city traffic increases fuel consumption by as much as 20%.

Inflate the tires. One tire under-inflated by just 56 kPa (8 psi) can increase fuel consumption by 4%. So check the tire pressure monthly.

Feeling deflated in the winter? Cold temperatures decrease the air pressure in tires, adding to the rolling resistance caused by snow and slush. Each tire that is under-inflated by 2 psi (14 kPa) causes a 1 % increase in fuel consumption. So check tire pressures regularly, especially after a sharp drop in temperature.

Take control. Maintaining an even speed when traveling on dry, flat wide-open highways helps improve fuel efficiency. So use cruise control.

Stay in shape. A poorly maintained vehicle consumes more fuel, produces more emissions, requires expensive repairs and has a lower resale value.

Take public transport. Each year, a single city bus can take the equivalent of 40 vehicles off the roads, save some 10 000 litres of fuel and reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 25 tonnes.

The math is simple. Carpool with another person and reduce your emissions by half. Pool with four others and reduce your emissions to one fifth. Not to mention that your costs go down by the same amount. Vancouver, Toronto, Montréal and Halifax are among the Canadian cities that have van pool programs.

Is your car freezing? Our winters are harsh, but one solution to the cold-engine dilemma is to use a block heater to warm the coolant, which in turn warms the engine block and lubricants. The engine will start more easily and reach its peak operating temperature faster. In temperatures below 0°C, block heaters can improve overall fuel economy by 10% or more until the engine reaches its operating temperature. Of course block heaters are best used with a timer to ensure that they don’t consume electricity all night.

Shift it up a notch. When driving a standard vehicle, it’s best to change gears quickly, increasing to the highest and remaining there. Unless you’re passing or accelerating to merge onto a highway, change gears as soon as you hit 2 000 rpm/minute. Most modern cars can be driven in fourth or fifth gear once they reach 60 km/h.

Put the car on a diet. It could stand to lose a few pounds. Each additional 100 kg uses about 0.5 L/100 km more gas.

Buying a new vehicle? Check the EnerGuide label for its fuel consumption rating. EnerGuide labels are now included on all new light-duty vehicles sold in Canada. Fuel consumption ratings for all new cars, light-duty trucks and vans sold in Canada are also available in Natural Resources Canada’s Fuel Consumption Guide.

Grease the wheels. When buying engine oil, make sure it is rated "energy conserving". Using the lowest multigrade of oil recommended in your owner's manual can improve the fuel efficiency of the engine, particularly when starting it cold.

Short is not sweet. Avoid short car trips. Over the first four kilometres, a car uses around 30 litres/100 km while the engine warms up. By leaving the car behind for two of those trips per week, you will emit 50 kg less CO2 per year.

To buy or not to buy? Consider a car sharing service: it can make a big difference to the climate.

Skiing and biking? Roof racks increase fuel consumption by 10 to 50%, depending on the speed.

Energy efficiency pays. An average Canadian home has 30 light fixtures that consume close to $200 worth of electricity every year. Replacing just five bulbs with ENERGY STAR® qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs in rooms that require more than three hours of light per day saves approximately $30 a year.

Every little bit helps. Replacing just one 60-watt incandescent light bulb with a 20-watt compact fluorescent in every Canadian household (more than 12 million of them) would save up to $73 million a year in energy costs. It would also reduce CO2 emissions by almost 400 000 tonnes—the equivalent of taking 80 000 cars off the road!

Use a lid when cooking. Turn down the dial on the stove and use one third less power.

Keep up the pressure. A pressure cooker is great for cooking times longer than 20 minutes. It requires 30% less energy than a conventional pot.

Use the convection setting, choose a lower temperature setting and reduce the temperature by 20°C.

Depending on the baking time, you can turn off the oven up to 15 minutes before the end of the total indicated time.

Turn off the water heater when on vacation.

Install a timer on your water heater. That way you can switch it off or turn it down at night or when you are away.

Wear a sweater. Every degree lower will save about 7% of energy. That’s up to 400 kg of CO2 per year for every degree, depending on the heating system.

Existing buildings use up to three times more energy as new ones. Energy-focused renovations can reduce the amount of energy required for heating rooms and water by up to 80%.

It takes a lot of energy to heat water. Even a quick 10-minute shower can use up to 190 litres (42 gallons) of hot water with a conventional showerhead. A low-flow showerhead can reduce this amount by half or even up to 8 or 9 litres while preserving the pressure and "feel" of the shower. Replacing the showerhead is simple, and you’ll still be able to enjoy a great shower to wake you up in the morning.

When buying a new appliance choose ENERGY STAR qualified models and get the smallest appliance that meets your needs.

Don’t worry, your laundry won’t freeze. Studies have shown that your laundry will come out just as clean if it’s rinsed in warm or cold water. Remember that the cold cycle uses a lot less power.

Remember the 3R? Buy recycled products: they require less energy to produce than new products. Making recycled paper, for example, requires between 30 and 70% less energy than making paper from virgin sources. Recycled paper also helps reduce the paper’s methane emissions when it rots in landfills, and methane is a GHG that is 20 times more impactful than CO2.

Be a control freak. Programmable thermostats control temperature fluctuations better than conventional ones. You could save up to 10% on your heating costs and recoup your investment in two to four years.

A carbon credit (or offset credit) is a unit of measurement that is equivalent to one tonne of CO2. The unit is used to facilitate transactions to reduce the climate impacts of human activities.

Purchasing carbon credits is investing in renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects and helping to reduce the greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere.

It’s important to be smart when purchasing carbon credits. The market is full of credits and pseudo-credits that don’t really help protect the climate. This is why Planetair only offers Gold Standard credits, which meet the highest standards on the carbon market. Gold Standard credits ensure that the investment will lead to a tangible reduction in your climate impacts: purchase one credit and there will be one tonne less of CO2 in the atmosphere.

The Gold Standard certification ensures that the credits are real, measurable, unique, verified by an independent third party, permanent and additional. A public registry retraces the carbon credits by their serial numbers, from their creation to their withdrawal from the market.

The David Suzuki Foundation and the Pembina Institute created a carbon credits guide for consumers and businesses.

Gold Standard Credits

Planetair’s project portfolio contains carbon offset certificates that carry the Gold Standard. Gold Standard carbon credits are the highest quality carbon credits currently available for voluntary offsets, and the projects they fund constitute the premium projects on the market. The method requires that renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies also lead to sustainable development for local communities (such as better living standards, knowledge transfer, job creation and pollution reduction). Projects that are certified by Gold Standard do more to responsibly manage the planet’s resources and deliver life-changing benefits to communities around the world.

The Gold Standard Foundation only awards its label after a third-party validation and verification of the project. The Gold Standard is supported by WWF International, Greenpeace, the David Suzuki Foundation, the Pembina Institute and 80 other NGOs.

The Gold Standard is recognized for its rigour and holistic approach, which takes into account all of the aspects and criteria that are essential to high-quality carbon credits. Researchers specializing in the forest, environment and climate change fields developed the standard. The Gold Standard (CarbonFix transition) certifies the afforestation and reforestation projects and considers sustainable forest management and carbon capture criteria. It also aims to foster benefits for local communities. It requires that over 30% of credits remain in a buffer reserve and that reforestation efforts begin 12 months after harvesting.

Visit the website of the Gold Standard Foundation for more information.

Launched by the Unisféra International Centre, Planetair was created to support individuals, businesses and organizations seeking to evaluate, reduce and offset their ecological footprint and especially their climate impact.

Planetair enables individuals, businesses and organizations to quantify their greenhouse gas emissions and determine opportunities to reduce and offset their climate impact through carbon credits.

Planetair also certifies the carbon neutrality of activities, events and organizations, creating value for its clients, and assists its clients in their strategies to disseminate and communicate their climate efforts.

Main areas of action

Disseminate of information on climate change.

Build awareness of climate change for different target audiences.

Market high-quality carbon dredits.

Support businesses and organizations in their climate change efforts

Quantify GHG emissions

Dévelop tailored quantification tools

Carry out GHG balances.

Support event organizers in their climate change efforts.

Support businesses and organizations in their internal and external communications on their climate change efforts.

Business Benefits

Planetair makes certain that its clients’ efforts meet the most rigorous standards to ensure the optimal use of offsetting investments and guarantees the quality of the carbon credits it distributes by collaborating exclusively in Gold Standard certified projects. The addition of the CarbonFix certification to the Gold Standard portfolio attests to the quality of the certified forest credits.

Planetair’s carbon credit portfolio therefore offers a wide range of varied and exclusive credit programs based on the market’s most rigorous standards.

Mission

Planetair has set out a three-fold mission

First, Planetair aims to raise awareness of climate change and the climate change impacts of day-to-day activities in individuals, businesses and organizations.

Second, Planetair works to foster the changes in behaviour required to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Planetair strives to establish itself among the most recognized, credible and effective actors tackling climate change.

Our clients and partners

Our clients

Our clients include large, medium and small businesses in various sectors, government institutions, non-profit organizations, events organizations and citizens committed to the fight against climate change.

Our partners

Planetair has created international partnerships with leading providers of the highest quality Gold Standard carbon credits from renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in developing countries. These international organizations specialize in greenhouse gas reduction and the development of innovative climate-friendly solutions.

The carbon neutral certification developed by Planetair is first and foremost an awareness-building and communication tool for stakeholders.

The certification attests that all GHG emissions were calculated and offset by Planetair. Recognized across Québec and Canada, the Planetair carbon neutral logo may be included in your internal and external communications.

Planetair’s services involve the development of promotional tools and adapted strategies to meet specific needs, enabling organizations to communicate their commitment and raise awareness among their clients.

With your needs and objectives in mind, Planetair will also assist you in creating tailored content for your communication tools (e.g. web sites, press releases, newsletters, conference programs and other means).

These certifications are aimed at businesses and events offsetting types 1, 2 and 3 emissions. Type 3 sources are offset on a voluntary basis since they are optional under the GHG Protocol set out by the World Resources Institute and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WRI/WBCSD). However, since these emissions can constitute a significant share of an organization’s total emissions, they should be considered whenever applicable.

Contact us for further information.

Carbon Neutral Business

A growing number of innovative businesses consider their climate footprint to be an integral part of their corporate responsibilities. Planetair has developed a carbon neutral organization logo for companies seeking to reduce their emissions and offset their irreducible emissions through the purchase of carbon credits.

Planetair has gained extensive experience in GHG inventorying for corporate clients. Be sure to contact us for further information. If you have already drawn up a GHG balance, Planetair will carry out routine audits to issue a carbon neutral certification.

Carbon Neutral Events

An increasing number of festivals and event organizers are seeking to support sustainable development by enhancing the environmental performance of their activities. In fact, accounting for an event’s climate impacts is among the most important sustainability strategies. Like businesses, events and festivals may work towards carbon neutrality to curb their climate impacts by reducing their GHG emissions to a minimum and then offsetting their irreducible emissions through the purchase of recognized carbon credits.

Planetair possesses extensive experience in creating GHG offsetting programs for all types of events, including festivals, conferences, meetings, weddings and high school reunions. Contact us for more information.

Carbon Neutral Services, product and business activities

In addition to its overall emissions, an organization’s partial activities (e.g. transport), products and services may also obtain carbon neutral certification.

Planetair produced and released a guide entitled Carbon neutral festivals: A guide for festival organizers

Thi Guide provides an overview of climate change issues as they pertain to festivals and events. The document also guides the reader through the various steps to follow in order to reduce an event’s ecological footprint, from emissions calculations to offsetting. It also provides a methodology and interactive tool to collect data and calculate the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated by festivals and events.

Planetair launched the eco-driving campaign to foster better choices on the roads. The program was first made available to the general public and has since attracted businesses seeking to develop in-house campaigns to raise awareness of eco-driving.

Planetair created the campaign as part of a project supported by the Fonds d'action québécois pour le développement durable and its financial partner, the government of Québec.

Planetair would like to thank CAA Québec and Natural Resources Canada for their contributions to the development of the campaign.

Contact us to adapt the campaign to the needs of your organization in order to raise awareness of eco-driving among your employees.

Planetair is the reseller of the first and only carbon credits to date to be certified Gold Standard in North America—the most stringent standard for forest projects. Those carbon credits originate from reforestation of urban and semi-urban areas in Québec.

Projects description

Planetair’s portfolio

Planetair’s portfolio includes Gols Standard foreign renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Gold Standard carbon credits are the highest quality carbon credits currently available for voluntary offsets, and the projects they fund constitute the premium projects on the market. The method requires that renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies also lead to sustainable development for local communities (such as better living standards, knowledge transfer, job creation and pollution reduction).

Prony

Wind farms

$ 30.93 /tonne

Though rich in wind resources, New Caledonia is reducing its dependency for energy generations using fossil fuel. The two wind farms of Prony and Kafeate are using world first technology to green-up the national grid and provide positive socio economic Improvements for the communities

The Pacific islands region faces increasing environmental and socioeconomic pressures sharpened by global climate change. The UN recognizes small island developing states as being particularly vulnerable to climate change. Already severely affected by climate variability and extreme tropical weather events, they remain extremely vulnerable to future changes in the regional climate and to rising sea levels.

Besides replacing dirty fossil fueled energy with sustainable power, the wind project tackles several environmental and societal issues. To strengthen civil society and indigenous Kanak rights, the company supports local and regional initiatives addressing employment, youth and community activities. In order to save nature and landscape partly disordered by former deforestation and mining activities, the infrastructure of the wind farms is based on existing roads only to limit erosion.

New Caledonia is located in a hurricane hot spot; the wind turbines used in the project are specifically designed for this type of climate, meaning that the whole wind farm can be tilted down within a few hours in the event of an extreme weather alert. This smart engineering approach makes the project a perfect match for the location and ensures that the nations green power supply can sustain an extreme climate event such as a hurricane.

The project now serves as an example for similar projects throughout the South Pacific, and is seen as the symbol of an environmentally respectful development to which local tribes are really sensitive.

InfraVest

Wind power

$ 23.14 /tonne

Two wind parks are contributing to the further development of renewable energy generation in Taiwan, a country that still depends on fossil fuels for the large part

Even with its privileged situation of a long windy coast line, Taiwan still relies to over 50% on its rich but dirty coal resources to fuel its growing economy. Now, pioneering wind parks have started to harness the untapped sustainable wind energy on the island’s west coast to enable and promote a less carbon intensive future for the nation.

In addition to their positive impact on the global climate, the project generates jobs and is engaged in benefitting the surrounding environment, e.g. by regularly cleaning the beaches from the waste of civilization.

These and other activities have generated high public interest in the project, making it even a tourist destination for the general Taiwanese public, with guided tours and a promote approach for the further sustainable development of the country.

Technically, the two wind farms consist of 65 wind turbines, each having a capacity of 2.3MW. At full capacity, the aggregated output of the project is expected to be 507 GWh / year, which is delivered to the regional state electricity authority, Taipower.

For its outstanding features, the project has been labeled with the Geneva based Gold Standard, the strictest project standard in the carbon world.

BFB

Wastewater treatment

$ 30.93 /tonne

This project is engaged with mitigating global warming and local air pollution at a Thai starch plant by capturing methane and generating sustainable energy and social benefits for local communities.

Only a few years ago, the inhabitants of the surrounding villages could smell the open lagoons used for clearing the starch wastewater. Today, not only the local air and water quality has improved significantly, at the same time the starch plant managed to reduce its fossil fuel use by up to 4700 litres per day. In addition, the project and the resulting carbon revenues generated jobs for locals and support social and educational activities in the community to enable sustainable development.

Technically, the project activity involves the installation of two closed anaerobic wastewater treatment facility (Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket technology) at a starch manufacturing plant with a large output of waste water. Before the installation of the project the wastewater in the plant was treated through cascading open lagoons with a retention time of more than a year. The mix of the lagoon size, atmospheric and water temperature, resulted in an anaerobic environment in the ponds. These conditions led to methane generation from the organic content of the wastewater which was steadily released into the atmosphere. Methane is a greenhouse gas 21 times stronger than CO2.

Now, the captured methane can be used for clean energy production in two burners on the plant site, replacing fossil fuel for heat generation to dry the starch. Thus, the emission reduction project has a double effect, keeping methane from heating up our climate and at the same time avoiding the burning of thousands of tons of fossil fuel per year.

Everbright

Energy from landfill gas

$ 23.14 /tonne

This project captures the methane emissions from a landfill and uses it for clean power generation, im - proves the lives of locals and contributes to sustainable development in China.

With China’s growing cities and economies, not only supply of energy and goods is becoming a logistic challenge but also disposal and its implications. One example is the decomposition of organic materials in landfills, which generates large amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times stronger than CO2. To keep it from damaging our climate and make use of its potential as a sustainable energy source, a projectwas set up to install modern technologies and train workers. Today, the landfill gas collection is managing both solid waste disposal andlocal energy supply in a sustainable way. At the same time, the project already benefits the locals and is engaged in further positive developments, e.g. by supporting education in the region.

Technically, the project is a combination project including landfill gas (LFG) collection, with wells and pipes reaching deep underground the now covered landfill. The methane is then fed into gas processing systems and finally burnt in four incineration units, each with an installed capacity of 1.25 MW. In the end, the generated electricity is fed into the grid to supply the inhabitants of Suzhou City with clean, non-fossil energy.

The project owner built a recreational park next to the area, and an expansion is planned once the landfill works are completed. By this, an area that was avoided by locals due to its pungent odors, now becomes a place for outdoor leisure and recover for the local population.

Antai

Energy from waste gas

$ 23.14 /tonne

In China’s so called “coal pit”, in Shanxi province with its heavy industries, a waste gas recovery installation at a steel plant gives an example of how sustainable development can generate both climate and social benefits.

Rich coal reserves made the province one of the places suffering most from the country’s economic boom but also a place for innovation in the industry, as this project shows. Antai, a steel mill in the heart of the province, decided to assume responsibility and act. By installing modern technology, training their workers and developing a carbon mitigation project according to the strict rules of the Gold Standard, they not only managed to reduce their CO2 emissions but at the same time improved the life of local communities.

At Antai, employees receive salaries and social insurance packages (with medical insurance and a retirement fund) above Chinese standards, get regular training on safety and technical issues, and are even given educational grants. In addition, the company supports students from the region with scholarships and funds the local musical orchestra. And every local can already tell the success of the waste gas recovery project: the air has become much cleaner over the past years.

Technically, the project consists of two 25 MW steam turbine units and four 75t/h gas-fired boilers. The waste gas comes primarily from the facility’s blast furnaces, with some additional surplus gas from steel converters and coke ovens.The electricity and steam generated by the project are totally consumed in the steel mill’s production processes and thus reduce its power consumption from the grid. In the absence of the project, a large amount of combustible waste gas would be flared or even released directly to the atmosphere, polluting the air and contributing heavily to global warming.

Yingxin

Energy from waste heat

$ 23.14 /tonne

In an effort to lower the carbon footprint of its energy-intensive glass production, the Yingxin company has implemented a modern waste heat recovery system to reduce its fossil-fuelled power consumption. In addition, the company is supporting local sustainable development

At a time when China is sensing the pressure to balance economy and environment, a huge number of emission reduction measures are being implemented with the help of carbon finance. One of them is this Gold Standard waste-heat capture project at the Yingxi glassworks plant. Through this project, the company has reduced its fossilfuelled power consumption by an impressive 76,000 MWh annually.

In addition to the benefits to the climate and environment, the project owner is also involved in sustainable development of the region. Amongst other activities, the company is supporting schools, elderly people and the village’s infrastructure with financial aid and the provision of machinery to villagers at no cost.

The project generates electricity by recovering and utilising waste heat from the glass smelting furnaces. Converted into electricity, it meets part of the internal demand, thereby displacing the electricity that was previously generated by a captive coal gangue power plant. Four recovery boilers, with two sets of condensing turbine generator units have been built and now provide an installed capacity of 12 MW, consisting of two 6 MW units. Before the installation of the emission reduction project, the waste heat generated by four glass production line furnaces was not utilised but simply vented into the atmosphere.

Mirador

Efficient cooking stoves

$ 34.14 /tonne

The Honduran cooking stove project significantly reduces demand for wood on a multi-household level, lowers fuel cost for families and has a positive impact on the global climate via forest recovery and reduction in carbon emissions.

In Honduras 65 percent of the consumed energy comes from fuelwood, primarily used for cooking purposes. Given this, reducing the need to harvest trees for fuelwood will make the forests more sustainable.

Traditional cooking stoves that use fuelwood are being replaced with energy-efficient cooking stoves at reduced prices. This makes them affordable for every family, and the cost of a cooking stove is typically paid back through fuel savings within two months. The new stoves are 50 percent more efficient than the traditional open fire system, and they require less cooking time because of their thermal design.

In addition to being more energy efficient, the modern cooking stoves emit less smoke, leading to a healthier cooking environment, which reduces respiratory and eye diseases and improves general hygiene.

Compared to a traditional stove, the new stove reduces poisonous carbon monoxide and particulate emissions inside a home by 79% and methane emissions by 94%. The stoves are mapped and monitored with GPS tracking, and to-date have reduced over one million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions since 2004

The Mirador project provides economic and health benefits to over half a million people. Women now have more free time for other activities, and can spend money previously reserved for fuel on other essentials. A microenterprise program also runs alongside this project, training entrepreneurs (‘Ejecutores’) and providing specialised parts to build and install the stoves. 17 thriving microenterprises have expanded to provide 170 local jobs in areas where reliable employment is difficult to find.

Ugastove

Efficient cooking stoves

$ 30.48 /tonne

Fuel use from increasingly scarce firewood is a growing problem in the Uganda. In order to address this problem, an emission reduction project has been set up to distribute modern, fuel-efficient cooking stoves to private households at reduced prices.

Ninety-five percent of Ugandans rely on wood and charcoal for cooking. Most solid fuel is burned using inefficient technologies, causing environmental, health and economic challenges. The use of wood and charcoal for cooking is driving deforestation and putting pressure on Uganda’s remaining forests.

The cookstove project began in 2006. Since then, the project organisers have managed to develop a sustainable stove-manufacturing enterprise and create distribution channels for the dissemination of fuel-efficient cookstoves throughout Uganda. Working closely with local partners, the capacity of local producers to market and distribute ccokstoves has improved and social marketing campaigns to drive demand have been implemented. Prior to the development of the cookstove project, fuel-efficient cookstoves were not available in Uganda.

To date, the project has distributed 88,000 cooking stoves in urban and peri-urban areas where charcoal use is endemic, reaching over 440,000 individuals with clean cooking technology.

The poorest Ugandan families spend as much as 15 per cent of their income on cooking fuel.

Paradigm

Water purification and clean cooking stoves

$ 31.99 /tonne

This is the first and only project encompassing both cooking stoves and water purification devices to support local communities. It’s aim is to provide safe water and clean indoor air to improve livelihoods in East Africa, while at the same time limiting deforestation and delivering a multitude of community benefits.

The project’s primary goal is to reach low-income families and organisations that cannot normally afford to purchase improved stove and water treatment technologies. The prospect of future carbon revenues has allowed the project to secure investment for subsidising the manufacture and sale of high-quality and efficient stoves and of water treatment products. To date, already 65,000 stoves have been distributed. At full capacity, the project will be able to provide clean air and water to more than 300,000 Kenyan families.

Improved cooking stoves are distributed at reduced prices, enabling poor families to cut their firewood demand by about 50%. This in turn takes the burden off the women and children, who traditionally collect the firewood, reduces deforestation rates and improves the indoor air quality.

In rural Kenya, more than 65% of the population do not have access to drinking water. To increase water treatment and improve local’s health, chlorine dispensers have been installed at communal water points, such as springs and boreholes. A local volunteer works to continually educate the community about the benefits of the dispenser, promote its use, and to maintain the supply of chlorine. In addition to the health benefits achieved, this cuts further the demand on firewood, which is otherwise used to sterilise water by boiling.

The lower rates of deforestation are estimated to relieve our global climate from about 20,000 tCO2e per year.

Reforestation in Montreal metropolitain area

Reforestation

$ 22.00 /tonne

These forestry credits come from the first and only Gold Standard project in Canada.

According to the 2007 Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), deforestation is responsible for nearly 20% of greenhouse gases.

This project aims at reforesting degraded and unused land in urban and semi-urban areas, as well as upgrading forest ecosystems and creating green spaces in the greater Montreal metropolitan area. The project takes place in the administrative regions of the Laurentians, Lanaudière, the Montérégie and the Outaouais.

The plantations allow the creation of green corridors that favor a gradual return of biodiversity, notably the Kirtland's Warbler, a bird species that is on the verge of extinction that reproduces only in young jack pines. The project will also contribute to reduced runoff and cleaner air.

These forestry credits come from the first and only Gold Standard project in Canada. The "validated" credits generated by the project and offered here evidence the GHG compensation that will occur throughout the duration of the project, i.e. from 2014 to 2064.

The Song Chung Project is located on the Con River in Vietnam’s Northern Hà Giang province, a mountainous region close to the border with China. A three-unit hydropower plant harnesses the flow of the river to generate approximately 63,420 MWh of clean energy each year, which is fed into the national grid and helps close the supply-demand gap.

By delivering clean and renewable energy to communities in the Quang Bình district, the project avoids the use of carbon-intensive, fossil fuel-based power plants and contributes to stabilizing the national electricity grid. With an installed capacity of only 19.5 MW, the small size of the plant ensures that there are no significant environmental impacts.

The project owner has contributed to improving the existing infrastructure, created new jobs, and supported the sustainable development of the region by funding schools and social programmes for vulnerable community members.

Rwanda Boreholes

Safe water access

$ 31.86 /tonne

Lack of safe water, along with poor sanitation and hygiene, are among the greatest causes of poverty in Africa. Without access to clean drinking water, the possibility of breaking out of the poverty cycle is incredibly low. The Rwanda Borehole Project provides local communities with clean water, while preventing 125,196 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.

Water quality in Rwanda is typically quite poor and local people traditionally use wood fuel on inefficient three-stone fires to purify their drinking, cleaning and washing water to avoid waterborne diseases. However, this process results in the release of greenhouse gas emissions from the combustion of wood, creating indoor smoke that affects the health of household inhabitants.

These carbon emissions and health issues can be avoided if a technology that does not require fuel (like wood, metal or fossil), supplies the clean water instead. The rehabilitation of boreholes provides clean drinking water to Rwandan communities, thereby removing the need to burn wood to boil the water and purify it. The boreholes are up to 100 metres in depth and operated with a simple hand pump.

By providing an alternative to wood fire purification, this project results in a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as well as a reduction of deforestation in surrounding forests for firewood. Health benefits for the local people result in cleaner water and a less indoor pollutants in the family home. In addition, less time is spent collecting wood or boiling water, allowing more time to focus on other income generating activities, household tasks and the supervision of children.

Siam Solar

Solar

$ 29.00 /tonne

Innovative solar photovoltaic technology helps to reduce Thailand’s dependence onossil fuels, improves energy access in rural regions, and contributes to boosting local economies. The Siam Solar Energy Project in central Thailand bundles 10 solar farms with a total capacity of 104.7 MW and generates 148,477 megawatt hours of clean, renewable energy delivered to the national grid system each year.

Thailand is one of the largest energy consumers in Southeast Asia and the second largest oil importer in the region, with fossil fuels currently accounting for around 80% of total energy demand. The government aims to tackle this dependence on fossil fuels and lead the way in the use of renewable energy in Southeast Asia.

Solar is poised to play a crucial role in Thailands future energy transition. The Siam Solar Energy project bundles 10 plants of solar photovoltaic power plants across the Kanchanaburi and Suphanburi provinces in Thailand’s agricultural center. The solar PV systems are a cutting-edge, environmentally sound technology with a capacity of 10.5 MW per plant , to deliver the generated electricity to grid.

This bundled project reduces Thailand’s reliance on imported energy and drives further economic growth in the country and in the region. Aside from meeting the energy demand for people in central Thailand, the project improves local infrastructure and provides employment opportunities to skilled and unskilled workers from communities within the project area in manufacturing, installation, operation and maintenance of equipment.